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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 13, 2017 - 02:43pm PT
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The future is NOW, and this aspect of it looks bleak and Orwellian.
SAN FRANCISCO STREET ROBOTS TARGET HOMELESS PEOPLE
GENTRIFICATION POLICE USE A.I. DROIDS TO EXPEL VAGRANTS
San Francisco security robots are patrolling areas that attract homeless people, and harassing those who stop, looking for a place to spend the night. Ostensibly, the robots are supposed to detect criminal activity, and then alert human security guards. But, due to (intentional?) programming flaws, the robots are targeting people who exhibit "unusual behavior". Loitering in the area triggers artificial intelligence algorithms that alert the authorities.
Ironically, the expensive robots belong to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which uses them to patrol outside its facility in the gentrifying Mission District, which is an area frequented by homeless people. The SPCA is an animal advocacy and pet adoption group whose primary concern is the physical welfare of animals. It is doubly ironic that this use of robots by the SPCA against society's most vulnerable is occurring in San Francisco, which has traditionally been a haven for the marginalized, oppressed and less fortunate, and which, in a former life, hosted the Summer of Love.
It is a sad and poignant commentary on the cruel state of our modern society that an animal welfare agency is using a robotic police force to harass and torment homeless people who are being displaced from their last refuge in the city by the invasion of sanctimonious and elitist groups, such as the animal welfare agency.
Apparently, there is no Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to People (SPCP) to counter what the SPCA is doing to the homeless in the Mission District (political aversion to anything with 'PCP' in its name may be to blame, here).
The SPCA says its security robots have led to a significant decline in crime, and the elimination of homeless camps and tent cities. The SPCA says that the robots have increased the safety of the dogs, cats and parakeets that the group houses within its Mission District facility. The success of the SPCA robots in clearing the streets of rancid human filth will, no doubt, be adopted by other people who have discovered - too late - that the only downside to occupying inexpensive real estate in downtrodden areas is the downtrodden people who already live there.
It is only a matter of time before a new generation of advanced security robots is put to work cleaning up the city. An advanced security robot's interaction with a homeless person might one day show up on YouTube, sounding like this:
"My sensors detect a foul odor of halitosis, human grease, urine and feces. You have been identified as an undesirable human being. You are not allowed to be in this area. This area is reserved for desirable human beings. You are ordered to leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. If you do not leave the area immediately, I have been programmed to compel you to leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. If you do not leave the area immediately, I have been programmed to use high voltage to compel you to leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. Leave the area immediately. This will be your last warning before I will compel you to leave the area immediately. One. Two. Three. OK. You have asked for it. I will now compel you to leave the area immediately - - - - - - - " ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAP
ORIGINAL NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ONLINE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Dec 13, 2017 - 02:55pm PT
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Didn't know dogs, cats and parakeets needed protecting with such expensive measures.
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Moof
Big Wall climber
Orygun
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Dec 13, 2017 - 03:29pm PT
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If only the major religion in this country preached about helping the poor and disadvantaged. Oh wait...
At least we don't have the powers in charge trying to slash benefits to the poor and disadvantaged. Oh wait...
I could go on...
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2017 - 03:55pm PT
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"Within the first week of the robot's deployment, some people who were setting up a homeless encampment nearby allegedly "put a tarp over it, knocked it over, and put barbecue sauce on all the sensors," according to Jennifer Scarlett, president of the SF SPCA. A Twitter user reported seeing feces smeared on the robot."
This type of response to the security robot was predictable. If the robot is displacing people from their habitat, they are going to fight back. In this instance, the robocop was disabled by smearing barbecue sauce and human feces over its sensors. It can be easily imagined that an unarmed human security guard could be incapacitated in a similar fashion, which is why security guards typically carry some sort of weapon, if only a heavy aluminum Mag-Lite flashlight to use as a bludgeon.
And, that is exactly why future generations of security and police robots will be equipped to defend themselves against those who oppose and resist them.
Robocops will evolve in the future to maintain the upper hand in the power struggle, in much the same way that regular police forces have evolved from this:
To this:
EDIT EDIT EDIT
No, the powers in charge in SF appear to be trying to harass and throw out the homeless.
Jody, read Yanqui's link above. It was the SPCA who autonomously obtained the robot, and loosed it upon the hapless street people. The city ordered it off the street, and is prepared to fine the SPCA $1000 per day because they did not have a permit to harass and expel city residents.
Still, that a private organization can wield a robotic police force against citizens is a frightening prospect. What if that thing was issued a firearm, and was sent out to patrol a gated community, with no law, except unto itself?
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Lituya
Mountain climber
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Dec 13, 2017 - 04:06pm PT
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Liberal, Democratic-controlled urban blue tarp hepatitis cesspools. Here in Seattle they even get a place to inject heroin and are free to deal meth out of their derelict RVs in front of homes. The solution? Raise property taxes of middle class homeowners of course so the city can hire $120k plus benefits staff to provide NO help anyway. You reap what you sow. Welcome to the Democratic Party.
Get the kids and moms the help they need. The rest get one chance at rehab—and then no more help. (The dealers and cookers get a bullet to the head.)
Not familiar with these robots. Should be destroyed.
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Tom
Big Wall climber
San Luis Obispo CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 13, 2017 - 04:13pm PT
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Jody, I gate-crashed your cousin's wedding party.
I was promptly expelled for being an undesirable person.
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Dec 13, 2017 - 04:57pm PT
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Thanks for the update, yanqui!
Was planning to bike over to the SPCA after work and take a selfie together with the robot to post here on the Taco. But it sounds like its back home in Mountain View already...
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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WBraun
climber
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:08pm PT
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St00pid brainwashed Americans and their st00pid progression to st00pid sterile programmed robots.
These st00pid idiot morons have no soul and are dead in their heads .....
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:10pm PT
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If that thing lingers long enough there in Tweakerville, it'll either end up disassembled into a million pieces or be smoking meth itself.
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Lennox
climber
in the land of the blind
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:23pm PT
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This spells the end for Dunkin’ Donuts and Krispy Kreme.
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Lituya
Mountain climber
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:27pm PT
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Now picture this thing with GPS, face recognition software, a warrant, and a rifle. You WILL be a good citizen. Welcome to the future no one wants.
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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kunlun_shan
Mountain climber
SF, CA
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:43pm PT
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If that thing lingers long enough there in Tweakerville, it'll either end up disassembled into a million pieces or be smoking meth itself.
I can't imagine what the SPCA was thinking. That thing would not last long in the Mission.... A LOT of activists will be out to target and decommission a machine like that.
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Lennox
climber
in the land of the blind
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Dec 13, 2017 - 05:59pm PT
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Now picture this thing with GPS, face recognition software, a warrant, and a rifle. You WILL be a good citizen. Welcome to the future no one wants.
If guns don’t kill people, but instead it’s people that kill people, can robots actually kill people?
But then if corporations are people, why can’t robots be people too?
But if robots are people, that can kill people, shouldn’t they have the same rights to keep and bear arms as other people?
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Lituya
Mountain climber
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Dec 13, 2017 - 06:08pm PT
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Focus, Lennox. And get that prescription adjusted. Again.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Dec 13, 2017 - 06:34pm PT
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What if that thing was issued a firearm, and was sent out to patrol a gated community, with no law, except unto itself?
No problem, the First Law of Robotics has that covered.
Right?
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sween345
climber
back east
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Dec 13, 2017 - 06:51pm PT
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At three MPH could be a little more challenging to tip than a sleeping cow.
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Lennox
climber
in the land of the blind
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Dec 13, 2017 - 06:51pm PT
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Focus, Lennox. And get that prescription adjusted. Again.
Hey, I’m just saying the NRA should get on this.
This has the potential to be a huge new market for their patrons, the gun manufacturers.
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hellroaring
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Dec 13, 2017 - 07:00pm PT
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SF is changing fast and not in a good way for many of it's long-time residents. Housing has become so expensive it's no wonder the homeless problem has gotten so bad. It's bled out much of it's cool weirdness sadly.
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